Month: November 2022

Let Nothing Stop You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Totally committed, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-11-18
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:20
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that will cause me to be ashamed of myself but that I will always be ready to speak out boldly for Christ while I am going through all these trials here, just as I have in the past; and that I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die. 

APPLICATION: This wish by Paul was expressed while still in jail. A time when most would curse God for allowing such atrocities in their life, yet Paul was praising God for using him, even while in custody. Paul had received reports that there were men trying to take his place on the streets by ministering in Jesus’ name, but Paul’s associates felt like they were false prophets/evangelists. At a time when we would become super frustrated and call for the men of the community to do something about these false teachers, Paul chose to praise God, for His name still being mentioned, even while he was in prison. Can you see where all of these things would really have rubbed us the wrong way? Yet Paul was content in his circumstances and what was going on outside the prison during his absence. However, even while admiring Paul for all of the above, I believe that the Holy Spirit got my attention with the very last words of Paul in verse 20, and it is that thought that I really want to encourage with you with today. Paul’s deep desire was that ‘… I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die.’ Think about this and try to apply this to your circumstances my friend. No matter what circumstances you are going through, what would you testify is your deepest desire? Imagine this: ‘though I lost my greatest love, yet I desire to honor Christ in everything I say or do’; ‘though I lost my job while still owing a lot of money to my debtors, yet my greatest desire is that I honor Christ in everything I do or say’; ‘though I was committed to prison without a legal reason, much like Paul was, yet my greatest desire is that I honor Christ in everything I do or say’; ‘though I spent many years of blood, sweat and tears over that awesome church, and hate to see the new philosophies implemented after they chose to replace me, yet my greatest desire is that I honor Christ in everything I do or say, whether inside that community or where I am currently located’; etc, etc. Precious friends, I believe that the principle, or the lesson that God wants us to learn from Paul, is that we need to get over ourselves and accept His perfect will for our lives. Circumstances will come, but they may all be a part of God’s perfect plan. It is our choice to praise, worship and honor our Maker in all His ways, means and circumstances. I pray that we will always accept His almighty purpose in our lives, that will ultimately bring glory to Himself. Let NOTHING stop you in your commitment to honor God in every circumstance of life!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Oh that I will always be an honor to Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, what I have shared in this devotional is virtually impossible in our feeble minds and limited abilities, so I beg of You to strengthen our will every day to face that which You will place before us. Regardless of our circumstances, let us never fail to represent You in prime fashion. The unsaved will not benefit from another one who will whine about their selfish desires, for they need a Savior to see them out of their pit. Please use us as Your holy instruments to show the world who Jesus is, and what He means to us. May Your Kingdom work be enriched because of our efforts today, and may others have reason to give You praise for seeing Your precious work fulfilled through us, in spite of our circumstances. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Launch Out

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-11-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 5:4-6; 8;
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.” 5-6 Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity…..
8 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.”

APPLICATION: It’s been said that stupidity is explained when you do something day after day and always in the same manner, but suddenly you expect different results! Do you suppose that described the fishing habits of Peter. Perhaps, because fishermen tend to give up when they go to their same spot where they’ve always caught fish and find none on a particular day. But does that not describe most churches today? They have certain days that the church doors will open, they have teachers and/or preachers aligned to teach/preach the Gospel to those who show up, and the leadership leaves, feeling quite content that their job is done. What if Jesus showed up one day and did something like He did with Peter? Imagine the pastor and leadership being told to go out into the deepest parts of the community and preach the same sermon, singing the same songs. Can’t you hear it now, ‘but Jesus, we just did this a few hours ago to the cream of the crop from our community in the comfort of our super comfortable sanctuary. We didn’t see any visible decisions made, but we believe the sermon was well received’! But we know the church should also do like Peter and respond, even at the end of their whining, ‘but we will obey our Master and do as You say’! Do we normally listen to others when told to do something differently? There is no evidence that Peter felt like based on his faithfulness to the little works of the Kingdom, finally his time had come, in the huge catch that resulted from God’s command to now launch out into the deep. In fact, Peter simply fell at Jesus’ knees in utter humility. My dear Brothers and Sisters, I believe that the Lord is still looking for people, organizations, and churches He can bless who will, like Peter, say, “We don’t deserve this.” You see, grace is the key to ministry, the key to prosperity, the key to victory in the church corporately and in our lives personally. The highest form of worship is when we’re just amazed by how good God is to sinners like us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus opened the eyes of a man who needed revival in his spirit. Praise God that Jeus didn’t look for the most dedicated priest, or the promising, upcoming scholar of religion, but a fisherman who simply tried to provide for his family. May He do it again for my readers and listeners as you are reminded of His awesome grace.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for accepting all who seek You with all their will and being. Like Peter, we are amazed by Your goodness to even us humble, poor believers in Your precious Son. Please help us to never feel like we are beyond Your love and Your grace. Because we believed in Jesus, we are now anxiously awaiting to be in Your presence one day soon – Your grace is truly amazing. Lord, I ask that You please touch the heart of every person that will stop to read or listen to this devotional. Draw them to Yourself, for Your glory and for Your complete work in their lives. May the unsaved catch a glimpse of this and also have a growing desire to accept Your grace, realize the purpose of Jesus in their salvation and accept Him as Lord of their lives. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Guide My Steps & The Road Ahead

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, direction, Guide, Guide me, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-11-16
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 119:105-108; 112;
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 105 Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take. 106 Your laws are good and fair. I have promised to obey them, and I will keep my promise. 107 Lord, I have suffered for a long time. Say the word, and I will live again! 108 Lord, accept the praise I want to give you, and teach me your laws.
112 More than anything I want to obey your laws always, until the end of my life.

APPLICATION: Notice that David didn’t ask God for a magic potion, or an instant miracle, for it is evident that David realized that the answers for his dilemmas or questions were already provided for him in the Bible. So as a good start, let us find our Bibles and commit to study them regularly so that we could find the answers for ourselves, like David found so useful for himself. Friends, I bet that at some point in your life, many of you may have gone to your pastor, or a physic, or perhaps even turned to astronomy for guidance on what to do, when to do it and how to do it. For there are daily challenges that we simply hang on to our seats and just hope that everything will work itself out. But what David is teaching us today, is not for the one looking for every solution to be placed in their laps and completed miraculously for them, while they sit back in their recliner. For David tells us that the answers are found in God’s Word. That tells me that David was willing to accept the fact that he didn’t have all the answers to life, and that he depended on the Mighty God of this universe to guide him in his decisions, direct every step that he took, and to open his eyes so he could clearly see the path ahead that he should follow. So, how shall we apply this to our daily lives? Well, the Book in which David found knowledge, wisdom and guidance, is still available to us today. However, I hope that you are more committed to reading your Bible than I am at reading many of the books I own. Most are placed on the shelf until disaster comes, or difficult situations arise, or it seems like all hope is lost. But if we are to truly look to God, through His Word, for answers to today’s dilemmas and opportunities, then we must get into the Word of God at the very beginning of each day. Just as you take time to warm up to your spouse before getting into a deep discussion, begin your time of devotion with God by talking to Him and asking for His guidance. Then, open the Word and see what God has in store for you that day. I would be happy to help you find a good Bible reading plan, based on the amount of time you want to commit to spending with God. Contact me below so I could help with that. You may not recognize God’s direction while you are reading, or even after you complete your reading, but based on personal experience, I believe that you will be amazed how often the very subjects covered in your devotional time, is aligned with things you will face that same day! You see, God knows what you will be faced with each day. He’s just looking for you to ask Him for wisdom and boldness to handle it like a child of His! Many will say that things don’t work exactly for them as I said above. I may not have all the answers my friend, but my God does. Be willing to do like David and surrender your will to the will of God; your knowledge to His; your uncertainties to His all-knowing and wise guidance. When you dish out guidance, discipline, wisdom and instructions in love, you are better accepted because your children or employees know that you are looking out for their own good. You probably learnt that from God, for that’s how He operates every day. Seek Him while He may be found and obey His commands with a heart like His servant, David.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Why look anywhere else when most of us already own the resource where its author gives good and perfect instruction each day. He’s the only One who truly knows you, your circumstances and your future!

PRAYER: Lord, we acknowledge once again today that You are our Creator, Ruler and Life-sustainer and that You have a place prepared for us in heaven when our work here on earth is complete. While allowed to remain here, please make good use of us for Your Kingdom’s sake. You know the challenges we will face each day, so I ask that You please prepare us to meet those challenges each day by opening our eyes to the answers we will find in Your Word. We want so badly to do our part Lord, so help us to be dedicated to reading Your Word, conversing with You and following in obedience to all that You will teach us and point out to us. As we follow You, please touch the lives of unbelievers we come into contact with, so that they might develop a growing desire to know You intimately. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

My Prayer For You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Unselfish, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-11-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:9-11
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 My prayer for you is that you will overflow more and more with love for others, and at the same time keep on growing in spiritual knowledge and insight, 10 for I want you always to see clearly the difference between right and wrong, and to be inwardly clean, no one being able to criticize you from now until our Lord returns. 11 May you always be doing those good, kind things that show you are a child of God, for this will bring much praise and glory to the Lord.

APPLICATION: This gives a good opportunity for us to not only renew our faith in our Creator, but also to renew a right relationship with Him, so that we can talk to Him about our reasons to celebrate His goodness; our desire for our children; our concern for the needs of our neighbors; and our heart-cry for the lost in our circle of friends who badly need the blood of Jesus washed over them. My friends, let me ask you to try one thing at this time: Stop and share your feelings with Jesus about each of the people that I mentioned. Tell Him what you are concerned about. Humbly pray for a right spirit within them so that they may be drawn closer to the Lord. Enough with the backbiting and the faultfinding, love those very special people enough to pray regularly for them. I’m afraid that we have such a long laundry list for ourselves, that we may not always make it before the throne of God on behalf of our family and friends. Paul was instrumental in starting the church at Philippi, so to leave them was probably like leaving a part of his heart there. Of course he missed them, of course he wanted to see God’s very best for them. It makes me question how vested I am in the folk around me. I’m still on the prayer list from two previous churches, so I am reminded of the needs that exist there, and I pray for the needs as they show up in my inbox. Are you still praying for the church families that you left behind when you moved residences, or when you moved to a different church? Hopefully these people have become a part of your heart and you might even remember the many times that they blessed you. Think on them during your times of fellowship with your Master and Lord. The enemy is out to get the church dear friends, so let us commit to such a good relationship with our Lord, that we will also lift up a name from our past before Him. God knows them, and He knows the very struggles they are facing right now. Let Him know that you care about Him blessing them right now. let’s learn to take our eyes off self and concentrate on the needs of those that are close to us now, or with whom we may have crossed paths in the past. Paul exampled this before us, now let us follow in his example and obey the Word of God in praying one for another. Remember, we are the church, so let the church be the church – especially here on earth where Satan is rampant and trying to distract the lost of any good thing in Jesus, our Lord, and His chosen children.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Oh, to imagine what our world, our churches and our families would look like if we did as Paul instructed – that we would overflow with love for each other and in our spiritual growth and knowledge. Perhaps then the unchurched will believe that God really does exist.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for blessing Paul to encourage his followers to overflow in love and in the knowledge of You. Satan seems to be doing exactly the opposite, and we truly can’t handle any more of his wickedness. You showed us loved in its most extreme way – You were willing to lay down Your life for us – even while we were yet sinners. Please Lord, teach us to follow in Your footsteps, and to be obedient to Your commands. Please strengthen us to make every effort to follow the instructions You gave to Paul for us. Let the world see what true Christian love is, when they hang around us. Help us Lord to understand Your Word sufficiently and be willing to share that knowledge with others who are searching for the real love of Jesus Christ. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Say Only What The Lord Tells You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, True to the Word, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-11-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 22:7-8; 13-14;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.” 8 The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”
14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”

APPLICATION: We often criticize politicians, because they try to please all their constituents all the time. On the other hand, pastors are often accused of forming cliques when they spend more time with one group of church members than the others. Friends, I believe it is a fact that we can’t please all of the people all of the time, especially if we are listening to the voice of God and desiring of being obedient to His will for our lives. Micaiah was much like the latter, for he was determined to be obedient to the voice of God, no matter whose presence he was in, and what the outcome of his frankness might be. King Jehoshaphat quickly sensed that his ally, king Ahab had a group of ‘yes men’ that he called prophets, for they aimed to please their king, even if it involved telling untruths. A lot can be attributed to the request by king Jehoshaphat to bring a prophet of the Lord into the mix of advice the two kings would receive for their final decision. I believe that even today, true men of God are considered trustworthy, and as a representative of the one true God, their word can be trusted. If you consider yourself a man of God and yet cave in to agree with popular belief vs the voice of God, then I would encourage you to repent, and as God for strength to consistently consult with Him on your decisions and be faithful to carry out the decision you feel God has given to you. Micaiah shows us that he was not after a popularity contest with the other prophets of the king’s court. Based on what the king said to Jehoshaphat and Macaiah’s initial response to the king, it is obvious that Micaiah was more set on being a sold-out agent of the King of all kings, and in no way to reflect one who would appease king Ahab, with hopes of becoming his best prophet. In fact, Micaiah was more determined to be God’s best prophet than anything else, even if it meant imprisonment, or possibly, severe beatings from Ahab. Being the odd man out, often results in having to explain your reasoning for your decision, and it may lead to demotions or discipline. But who is it that wins in your earthly battles? The earthly man in charge, or the Heavenly Master who created you and provided a sacrifice for your redemption and heavenly future? What must you surrender today, so that you may freely say what God tells you to say? You must decide, dear friend! You will be counted by God as ‘for Him’ or ‘against Him’.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It’s better to say what God tells you to, than look for man’s applause in appeasing him. Better is one day in the courts of our Master, than a lifetime of regret and disobedience for our earthly masters.

PRAYER: Lord, please speak to Your children today. In line with our Scripture, I pray that You will cause us to reflect on who our true Master is? Please help us to always honor and please You, even if it is bad news for our earthly masters and bosses. We may be unpopular here, and never receive the renumeration or promotions that we deserve, because of our stance as a believer in Jesus Christ. But because heaven is our eternal goal, we need Your encouragement and guidance, Lord, to live like we are Yours even while here on earth. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your sacrifice and for not giving in to the wishes of your accusers. They saw something different about You, and I pray that they will also see something different about us – children of the Great I Am. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Benefits of God’s Word

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Will, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-11-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 119:97-100; 104
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 97 Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. 99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. 100 I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.
104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.

APPLICATION: David was known as a very wise man, and one who was wholeheartedly dedicated to God. Some may read these verses and settle for the fact that David just had a way with words, for we don’t tend see the kind of wisdom he spoke of in our world of believers today. Based on a story, that my favorite commentator reminded me of as I studied these verses today, I believe that you will see where God gave us much wisdom in His Word, and it’s still available and applicable to us today. Here’s the reminder Jon Courson gave to me: Continually studying the Word made the Psalmist wiser than his enemies. An example of this was seen during our day and time when a policeman in Haifa, a port city in Israel, was chasing smugglers who were using a cart pulled by a couple of donkeys. When they saw the policeman in pursuit, they realized they didn’t have a chance, so they jumped off the cart and escaped. Very devout in his study of Scripture, the policeman devised a plan. He didn’t feed the donkeys for three days, then let them go because, from Isaiah 1:3, which says the ass knows his master’s crib, he knew that the donkeys would lead him to the home of their master—which they did. Sounds humorous, but I am convinced that if God can speak to us about our sin; about our missed opportunities; about our hope for a future with Him in glory; then it should be reasonable to believe that He could direct our path each day and fill us with wisdom to deal with every scenario in life. Furthermore, the Good Book tells us about our Savior who paid the penalty for the sin of all who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, and it goes on to teach us all about His commands, teachings, and truths. Here’s where we learn about His words and actions while He was with us. This serves as an example of how we should live, if we truly want to walk in His footsteps. In verse 104, we are reminded of how we gain the ‘6th sense’ – a nudge from God about what is being said to us falsely, or when fakes are attempting to mislead us. Some will approach us with a story that sounds like ‘religion’, but not like ‘thus says the Mighty God’. As we read God’s Word, He instills in us a sense of knowing His still small voice, and to detect right from wrong in what is being taught to us. Allow the Word of God to wash over you, my friend, so that God may have His way in You for His eternal benefit. Others may be looking up to you to know the difference between right and wrong, and false teachings vs legitimate encouragement from the Word. Don’t let God down, and always be a shining light for those following in your footsteps!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We may not always have the answers to all of life’s questions and dilemmas, but for the child of God, we know the One who does! Trust in God with all your heart, soul and mind, and all these things will become clear to you.

PRAYER: Lord, we ask You to help us, direct us, show us Your ways, and even more. But since all of this is already provided for us in Your Word, please give us a mind for You and a desire to know Your will for us. We know where to find these things, but we allow everything else in the world to occupy our minds. Oh, for the diligence and commitment of David. May we find ourselves in Your Word so faithfully Lord, that we will be able to say like David: Your Word has brightened our day and our future; Your Word has encouraged us and reminded us of Your love for us; and Your Word tells us so much about the One who gave up His own life, so that we may have life eternally with He and the Father. We say we need You more than anything else, yet we hold on to Your very truth, and Your eternal promises, without committing to read your Word regularly. Forgive us Lord for wanting You to pour Your blessings on us while we sit idly by without even reading what You have already blessed us with. Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Pray ‘In The Spirit’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-12
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 6:18
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God’s people.

APPLICATION: It seems pretty obvious that most of us tend to think, love, speak, and pray from a very selfish perspective. I attended a party one time, where the icebreaker was a challenge to avoid the first-person pronoun in your conversation for the first 15 minutes. Suddenly, the normal challenges of remembering names of people you meet; introducing yourself to strangers; and avoiding cliques of people you know; all became very easy compared to this new challenge! If presented with this challenge, be prepared to quickly acknowledge how dependent you are in sharing ‘all about you’ to others. Try it, write out a small paragraph about your last party, without using the first-person pronouns! I believe this alone will help us to quickly understand the importance of making every effort to ‘Pray in the Spirit’, because instead of the usual ‘gimme, gimme’ prayers, we will suddenly find ourselves praying about things that the Spirit provokes. We all know that no one else in the room of people you are with have greater pain and misery than you have! No one else hurts from disappointments and unfulfilled dreams like you do. But when we seek to ‘pray in the Spirit’, He will direct our minds to the person who has only one leg, so that we don’t whine and complain all evening about the knee-ache we’ve had since we woke up that morning. Friends, I am convinced that when we pray for others more than ourselves, God in His infinite mercy, causes us to lose sight of our minor aches and problems. When Paul demands that we ‘stay alert’, I believe he is suggesting that we ask God for eyes to really see the needs of others. Isn’t it amazing how we enter a room where many needs are represented, but we quickly bring our own needs to the forefront, even though they are insignificant, compared to others? While theologians have a lot to say about their knowledge on this topic, I believe that God is merely saying ‘follow in my ways and in what I found to be important. Enough about self’. Churches often hurt from their members who attend looking for a word of encouragement and strength for the week ahead, yet they leave without ever being talked to, loved on, or shown appreciation for. Perhaps ‘praying in the Spirit’, is just the beginning of a Spirit-filled believer who should also ‘live in the Spirit’, ‘encourage in the Spirit’ and ‘bless as the Spirit would’. Be reminded that at church, it’s not all up to the pastor to meet every need. God placed each of us among fellow believers so that we might imitate ‘iron sharpens iron’. We need each other, especially those who are living, acting and portraying one who ‘lives in the Spirit’. Try being the hands and feet of Jesus to someone else today, dear friends.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as we ‘pray in the Spirit’ and ‘live in the Spirit’ and allow the Spirit to live out His blessings through us, we too can expect to be blessed as other believers do the same!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it just seems natural for us to act out our selfish desires, wants, like and dislikes. But as Your faithful servants seeking to follow in Your footsteps, please help us to persistently seek to ‘pray in the Spirit’ and live out all the ways of our Master. Others may not read their Bible, but may they see Your children as thorough images of our Master and Lord, and may this cause an ongoing desire to seek the Lord while You may be found. thanks for drawing us to the cross of Calvary and showing us the road to eternal life. As we live in the Spirit, may others also see that wonderful image portrayed in and causing them to have a growing desire to know You as their personal Savior. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Oh, Poor Me….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Discouraged, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-11-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 19:13-14
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?” Elijah said it again, “I’ve been working my heart out for God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me.”

APPLICATION: Despite the awesome work by this prophet of God, yet Elijah was threatened by Jezebel, and in spite of the miracles performed through Elijah by the God of this universe, yet Elijah ran for his life and had himself a good old pity party. It seems like he may have felt that although God blessed others through him, he would really need to get in God’s face to receive personal encouragement from Him. In the Wilderness, an angel helped strengthen Elijah for his journey to Mount Sinai – the same place where God spoke to Moses. He found no ‘fireworks’ there when told by God to appear before Him. Instead, there came a very strong windstorm that seemed to have moved everything else except Elijah’s heart. Then an earthquake, followed by intense fire. For each of these things happening on their own, we might expect a miraculous touch from God, but in God’s very special plan He wanted to carefully get the attention of this saint while giving him his next assignment. We can identify, can’t we? Just go to that city-wide revival in that large city and know that the very popular evangelists there will be sure to invoke God’s presence and take you to the foot of the cross. Follow the path of other great evangelists and you will be blessed just like them. Friends, notice that God didn’t move in the ways that seemed miraculous to Elijah, but instead in a still, small voice. Are you getting into the Word of God each day and listening intently for the ‘still, small voice of God’? Perhaps it’s time that we stop chasing the ways of popularity that attract the crowd, and instead seek more one-on-one time with our Creator. God had specific instructions for Elijah that I don’t feel like He would have given to an evangelist for a huge crowd. God has our assignment also, dear friend. Seek Him while He may be found. Listen intently for what He tells you through His Word, through prayer, through other believers who have a close relationship with Him. and through the circumstances He brings into your life. Listen, and be willing to respond and obey – without fanfare, for His glory!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In verses 15-18 God gave His orders to Elijah to go and anoint 3 different men. Oh, that we will not keep others waiting because of our laxity in searching out God’s will for us and following through on His commands.

PRAYER: It’s been said that what You have for us, God, no one can take it away from us. But Lord, I was reminded in this story of Elijah that we must seek the Lord while He is near, listen closely to Your still small voice, and follow in obedience as You command us to. There really is no time for retreating under a tree in the Wilderness having a pity party like Elijah. We serve the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords, there is no greater privilege available to mankind. You told us to ‘Be still and know that I am God’. Please help us to pin that on our foreheads for a constant reminder and to help us keep our chin up, even when it seems like the world is against us. Let the people see Jesus, and not our weak and sorry efforts to survive. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Obedience, As Unto The Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-11-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 6:5-8
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

APPLICATION: To understand the full potential of this Scripture, we must look at the time in which it was written and the primary crowd for who it was originally intended. Paul wrote this at a time when there were over six million slaves in the Roman Empire, and at a time when slaves were considered less than ordinary people. This helps us to see these words in their original perspective. However, we know from other Scriptures that God not only prompted Paul in ways that might help slaves and their masters, but He also prompted David to be true and trustworthy to his master, king Saul, in spite of the king making endless efforts to pin him to the wall with his spear. In our Scripture today, Paul wanted to remind the Ephesian church that because of their main Master, they were to be humble slaves so that they might touch the heart of their earthly masters. I don’t believe that it was happen-chance that this teaching made it into the Bible, for I believe that God still has a message for His children – His slaves, to stand firm on their principles and the teachings of their heavenly Master, so that their earthly masters might better understand the truths and ways of our Lord. Friends, our earthly masters/bosses and our earthly slaves/employees always need to see whether we are sincere in our beliefs or our boasting about our Savior. Do we talk the talk and walk the walk? Under pressure and in full obedience, can we still praise the Lord? I believe that when we do as Paul instructed – “do as unto the Lord”, then we will remember that it was God who strengthens us each day for the job, He who gives us wisdom to understand the job, and He who blesses us with income so that we could bless others. When we keep that first and foremost in our minds, I believe we will work without grumbling, smile without the worry of the boss taking advantage of us, and feel appreciated without complaining of our pay. You know, it wasn’t until I retired and didn’t depend so heavily on my income, that I became very relaxed and enjoyed my temporary job to the fullest. It helped to open my eyes of the needs around me and helped me concentrate more on the concern for others. As workers in the Kingdom, imagine how much more effective we would be, if we served as unto the Lord, and not because we are tired of doing more than our share while others just sit around and complain. As a child of God, we owe it all to our Father!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May God be the Master of our whole being, and not just our Spiritual Father.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for all that You bless us with. Please teach us to stop whining about our jobs and our bosses when we have a job. Also Lord, please help us to live confident in the God that we serve, especially when we don’t have a job. Please teach us to stay strong in our faith and in the Master of it all, in every aspect of our lives. Teach us to also strive to please You as our Designer, Creator, Way-Maker, Savior and Eternal Master, whether we have an earthly boss or not. For Lord, I firmly believe that when we please You, others will recognize whose we are, and will want to know our Savior as well. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Your Customary Place

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Example, Example of Christ, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-11-09
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 4:14-16
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and soon people across the region had heard news of Him. 15 He would regularly go into their synagogues and teach. His teaching earned Him the respect and admiration of everyone who heard Him.
16 He eventually came to His hometown, Nazareth, and did there what He had done elsewhere in Galilee—entered the synagogue and stood up to read from the Hebrew Scriptures.

APPLICATION: I once heard a sermon entitled ‘Saints on vacation’. The pastor brought to light that although we may be in a different town, or even on vacation, there’s no excuse to not go to your customary place on the Lord’s Day. My wife and I went on a long, 3-month trip last year. We planned to stop for 2 nights before resuming our travel on the 3rd day, so that we would be well rested. However, each week we always stretched that 2-night stayover to include a Sunday so we could attend a local church service. We could have watched on television the service from our home church, but there is nothing like meeting in person with God’s people! Friends, this is in no way bragging, for we are nothing without Christ. However, those Sundays were some very special times as we joined hearts and hands with some fellow Brothers and Sisters that we expect to see around God’s throne someday soon. It actually feels weird when we are not in our ‘customary place’ on Sunday mornings. But I especially want to challenge Christians in this devotional. Some of you have become very comfortable staying at home during your ‘customary time’ of worship, since that is what you did for almost 3 years during the height of covid. Furthermore, you are still hearing others use the excuse that they don’t want to catch whatever other church members have, and that seems to work for them. Dear friends, my mom always asked if I would follow my friends if they wound up standing before Satan. In other words, I make decisions for myself based on what I know is right, and is Christlike. I make decisions based on the teachings and will of the God in whom I have found salvation. In our Scripture, you might recall that Jesus had just returned from the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. He didn’t need time to recover from the disturbing temptations he experienced with Satan, nor did He look for pity from the church leaders who may have learned He was in town. I bet He couldn’t wait for the doors to open and the people to gather, so that He could join in with them and actually open the Word of God for their benefit. As Christians, we are called to be an example of our Lord. How careful are we to follow His example in being present when others are worshipping and learning from the Word? Let me encourage you to daily examine your words and your actions and place yourself before the Master for His evaluation on what He thinks. I believe we know where our ‘customary place’ should be. May God be our encouragement and provoker to help us be the follower of Christ He is looking for here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus set the example for us to be in our ‘customary place’ when the time and opportunity presents itself! Oh, that Christ-followers would be faithful in following in Jesus’ example of church attendance!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me that I have no excuse about doing what You exampled before us. You had every reason to seclude Yourself and try to recover from the serious time you spent in the Wilderness, but You stayed on track in following the Father’s will. Please Lord, teach us to follow in Your footsteps and not let anything distract us from being Your follower in all walks of life. Although we would not expect an incentive, I pray that You will quietly use our example to help others be more closely aligned to You and Your perfect will for their life. Be glorified in us oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!